I took a chance on a $300 Rolleiflex 2.8C Xenotar through Facebook Marketplace. When I examined it, the shutter wouldn't fire below 1/25, so I figured I'd just shoot at 1/50 or above (about the handheld range anyway), it looked super clean, and maybe I'd someday get a CLA. Mostly I was in a fever, had the cash in my hand, and really really wanted that camera. Then I got it home and had a thought: the owner said it hadn't been shot in decades. Maybe the mechanics need to be "loosened up," I thought. So I fired it about ten times at 1/250, and then worked my way down the dial a few frames at a time. Sure enough, when I got to 1/25, it fired just fine. Did that a couple of times, then down to 1/10. Sounded just right, so I did that a few more times. At 1/2, the nice little whirring mechanism kicked in and the time sounded just right. Then down to 1 sec. Whirr, click. The end result, this camera went from firing NOT AT ALL at 1/25 and below, to firing perfectly at all speeds, just by firing the shutter repeatedly at faster speeds, then working my way down. The old boy just needed to loosen up a bit.
